Moreover, not everyone finds fulfillment in the presence of others or participation in activities. Critics of this theory point out that access to social opportunities and activity are not equally available to all. According to this theory, the more active and involved an elderly person is, the happier he or she will be. According to this theory, activity levels and social involvement are key to this process, and key to happiness (Havinghurst 1961 Neugarten 1964 Havinghurst, Neugarten, and Tobin 1968). The social withdrawal that Cummings and Henry recognized (1961), and its notion that elderly people need to find replacement roles for those they’ve lost, is addressed anew in activity theory. Criticisms typically focus on the application of the idea that seniors universally naturally withdraw from society as they age, and that it does not allow for a wide variation in the way people experience aging (Hothschild 1975).

However, the theory is no longer accepted in its classic form. The suggestion that old age was a distinct state in the life course, characterized by a distinct change in roles and activities, was groundbreaking when it was first introduced. Because men focus on work and women focus on marriage and family, when they withdraw they will be unhappy and directionless until they adopt a role to replace their accustomed role that is compatible with the disengaged state (Cummings and Henry 1961). Finally, social withdrawal is gendered, meaning it is experienced differently by men and women. Therefore, this withdrawal allows a greater freedom from the pressure to conform. Second, as the elderly withdraw, they receive less reinforcement to conform to social norms. First, because everyone expects to die one day, and because we experience physical and mental decline as we approach death, it is natural to withdraw from individuals and society. There are several main points to the theory. The earliest gerontological theory in the functionalist perspective is disengagement theory, which suggests that withdrawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old. Three social theories within the functional perspective were developed to explain how older people might deal with later-life experiences.ĭoes being old mean disengaging from the world? (Photo courtesy of Candida Performa/Wikimedia Commons) How does this perspective address aging? The elderly, as a group, are one of society’s vital parts.įunctionalists find that people with better resources who stay active in other roles adjust better to old age (Crosnoe and Elder 2002).

Functionalists gauge how society’s parts are working together to keep society running smoothly. Functionalismįunctionalists analyze how the parts of society work together. What roles do individual senior citizens play in your life? How do you relate to and interact with older people? What role do they play in neighborhoods and communities, in cities and in states? Sociologists are interested in exploring the answers to questions such as these through three different perspectives: functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and conflict theory. Compare and contrast sociological theoretical perspectives on aging.By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Activity theory of aging pros and cons